Nailer for corrugated fasteners



Apr. 3, 1923. y v 1;45o,730 Y v c. A. MACDONALD l NAILER FOR CORRUGATED FASTENERS Filed Jan. '2, 1922 2 sheets-sheen 1 M-'lllllullllllllllan Apr. 3, 1923. 1,450,730

l c. A. MACDONALD n NAILER FOR CORRUGATED FASTENERS Filed Jan; v, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 /Afl/ENTOR yeh@ LmacdrmaYd TTORN Y Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

y IT i r CHARLES A. MACDONALD, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T WILLIAM S. DOIG, INC., OF BROOKLYN, NEW'4 YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

NAILER FOR CORRUGATED FASTENERS.

To al?, whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. MACDON- ALD, a citizen of the United States of Amer ica, residing at Cambridge, Massachusetts,

have invented a new and useful Nailer for Corrugated Fasteners, of which the followin@ is a specification.

lIy invention relatesto a nailing machine, and particularly to one for driving corrugated fasteners and the like.

In driving corrugated fasteners in quantity it is usual to employ corrugated strip in relatively great lengths, and to cut each predetermined length just prior to driving, i

rather than to employ the individual nreviously cut fasteners.

In machines for driving these fasteners in quantity, feeding mechanism for intermittently feeding the-long strip forward Lto the driving mechanism is usually provided.

During a dwell in the intermittent feeding a suitable shear cuts off a predetermined length of the end of the fastener strip, after which a hammer drives the sheared-off fastener. Such machines are in general use.

As heretofore constructed the head block into which the free end of the fastener strip is fed has been closed up. If, for any reason, the feeding mechanism should attempt to feed too long a portion into the head block, the free end of the strip would contact with the block and the continued feed ing would cause the strip to buckle or ball up in the rear of the head block. Then this buckling occurs it is necessary to release the strip from the feeding mechanism, as well as the portion of the strip in the head block not yet sheared. The strip must then be withdrawn and the crumpled or buckled portion either straightened out or cut off and discarded. In machines as ordinarily constructed such results often occur, and it is obvious that a great deal of time is wasted in withdrawing the strip, and a substantial quantity of the strip is wasted by reason of the crumpling up action just described.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to provide a machine which will render the crumpling up or buckling of the strip practically impossible.

It is a more specific object toprovide a machine in which the head block into which the free end of the fastener strip is fed, has a yielding Ahead stop whereby if, for any reason, the end of the strip is fed in too far the resilie-ntly mounted headstop will yieldk i and thus prevent the fastener strip from buckling in the rear of the head block.'

In the drawings I have shown, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of my invention.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentaryI front view of a machine embodying features of my in vention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the machine, substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation, showing, a shear for cutting off a fastener and a hammer for driving the sheared portion;

Fig. 4L is a rear elevation of a head block, showing the means for holding the end of the fastener; 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the head block with a' strip of fastener therein and in engagement with a resiliently mounted headstop; and

Fig. G is a perspective view of a head block showing the resiliently mounted head stop relatively separated therefrom, in order to better disclose the invention.

In the present disclosure 7 indicates any conventional' or suitable type of frame for carrying the working parts of the machine. 8 indicates any suitable type of work support or anvil. In the upper end of the frame is mounted a driving shaft 9, which may be driven either directly or through suitable gearing. The shaft 9 is provided with a crank 10, which drives the connecting rod .11 connected to the cross-head 12 sliding in guides 13, 13. A driver or hammer 14.- is secured to the ycross-head and reciprocates therewith for driving the fasteners as will be later described.

A guideway for a continuous strip of corrugated fastener 15 is provided on the frame. A reciprocating feed-head 16 engages over the strip of fastener, and any suitable type of engaging or feedingmechanism maybe provided on the feed slide. In the form shown, a simple type of spring pressed finger or pawl 17 is carried by the slide 16 and engages in any one of the corrugations in the fastener strip. A bell crank lever 18 is mounted on the' frame and is connected at one end tc the slide 16 by means of a pin and slot connection 19, while the oppoagain be operated.

site end of the bell4 crank lever in the form shown has spaced fingers 20, 21. A moving part, such as the cross-head 12, is provided with a boss carrying apin 22 for driving the bell crank 18. In order to varyi the length of the feed stroke of the slide 16, I have shown an adjustable stop 23 on the finger 21. Obviously, by lowering the stop 23 and thereby increasing the lost motion between the pin 22 and the fingers 20, 21, the length of the feed stroke of the slide 16 will be decreased. Conversely, by raising the stop 23, the length of the feed stroke mayr be increased.

Means are provided for shearing off a suitable length of the corrugated fastening strip to be driven into the work. In the form disclosed, the frame is provided with a shaft carrying a rotatable member having a cam groove 25. This rotatable boss or member may be driven through a gear 2G, which in turn may be connected by means not shown to the drive shaft 9. A lever 27 is pivoted to the frame at 28, and at one end carries a pin 29, operable in the cam groove 2:3.` The opposite end of the lever 27 is connected, in the form shown by means of a pin and slot connection 30, to a movable shear blade 31. This movable shear blade co-acts with a fixed blade 32, carried by the frame or an extension 7 thereon, for cutting off a proper length of fastener.

The continuous corrugated fastener strip fed forwardly by means of feed mechanism such as described, passes between the shear blades and into the passage in a head block 36. In the present disclosure this head block has a passage 37 for receiving and guiding the hammer 14. The head block is likewise preferably provided with resilient means for holding the end of the corrugated fastener and permitting the hammer, in its driving stroke, to force the sheared off fastener out of the head block and into the material being nailed. VIn the present disclosure there is provided a fixed holder 38 and a movable holder 39, having` a spring 4l() for urging the latter toward the holder 38. These fingers or holders 38, 39 are properly tapered, so as to easily admit the end of the fastener strip and also permit entrance of the driving hammer.

As hereinbefore indicated, it often happens that the feed mechanism feeds forward too great a length of fastener to the head block 36. Ordinarily such excessive feed causes the strip between the feed mechanism and head block to buckle, and causes waste of time and material before the machine can In accordance with mv invention, the passage 35 is made a through passage in the head block 36, as indcated at 35. If an excessive length of fastener strip is fed into the passage, and the passage left open, of course there would be no buckling of the rear end of the strip,but with the passage left open it occasionally happens that th'eend of the fastener, after being sheared, will spring out of the passage and consequently will not be drivenk by the hammer in its downward passage. I have 'therefore provided ahead stop 41, which may substantially close the outer end of the passage The head stop is preferably resiliently mounted, and in the present disclosure I have indicated a blade spring 42, secured to the'head block at 43 and to the head stop at ta. it will be obvious that if an excessive length of fastener is fed to the passage, the freeend of the fastener will abut the stop L.l1 and force the latter outwardly against the tension of the spring 42. Consequently, no buckling or balling up of the fastener in the rear of the head block is probable. If, for any reason, it is desirable to inspect the passage the head stop 4l1 may be removed from the passage, and for such purpose I have indicated a small knob or handle 45, which may be grasped to withdraw the head stop, and the latter may then be swung about the pin and out of the way. i

The operation of my device will be clear from the foregoing description of the parts. l,When the machine is started, the first action will be to raise the cross head 12 to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. During this raising of the cross hea-d the finger or pawl 17 in the feed slide will have engaged one of the corrugations, and the entire strip will be moved forwardly, the end of the strip being thus fed into the passage 35 and possibly into extension 35'). Ilpon continued rotation of the crank 9 the gear 26 will be rotated (by means not shown) and the cani groove 25 will draw the pin 29 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, thus causing the movable shear blade 31 to co-act with the fixed blade 32 and shear off whatever length of fastener strp has been fed into the passage in the head block. Further continued rotation of the shaft 9 causes the shear blade 3l to be withdrawn and the hammer lt to descend onto the sheared length of fastener, and drive the same into the work on the anvil or table 8. Further rotation of the shaft 9 again raises the cross head, and with it the hammer. and another length of fastener is fed into the passage in the head block. The work on the anvil 8 is progressively moved, and thc proper lengths of fastener are driven as desired. In commercial machines a foot or hand lever is usually provided, which operates a` clutch, so that one fastener is driven at each operation of the lever. Such devices are well known in the art and have therefore not been illustrated.

It will be `obvious that by the provision of my improved head block it will be pract'ically impossible for an increased feed of the strip to cause the latter to buckle or ball up, and thus temporarily put the machine out of commission. If too great a length is fed into the passage in the head block, the head lstop merely yields and permits the end to pass outwardly.

\ My improved machine has been described in detail in connection with the driving of corrugated fasteners, but obviously the machine is adapted for use with other types of strip.

While Ihave described, in detail a preferred form of my invention, I wish it understood that variations and modifications may be made within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a nailing machine for corrugated fasteners,l a frame, a hammer, means for reciprocating said hammer, a head block having a passage therein, means for feeding a corrugated fastener strip to the passage in said head block, means for holding the end of said strip in-said block in position to be driven, means for shearing a predetermined length from the end of the strip in said head block while the end is in position to be driven, and a resiliently mounted head stop for the free end of the corrugated fastener, said hammer being adapted to drive the sheared length of fastener.

2. In a machine for driving corrugated fasteners, a frame, a head block mounted on said frame and having a passage therein for receiving the end of a strip of corrugated fastener material, means for feeding the strip to said'passage, resilient means at one end of said passage in position to be engaged by the free end of said corrugated strip, said resilient means being movable in one plane when engaged and forced by said corrugated strip and being movable in another plane to be moved to an out-of-the-way position, means for shearing off a length of fastener strip, and a hammer for driving said sheared-olf length.

3. In a machine for driving corrugated fasteners, a frame, means mounted on said frame for holding the end of a strip of corrugated fastener material when in position to be driven, means for ,shearing a length of said fastener when held as aforesaid, a hammer for driving said sheared length, and resilient means mounted in line with the end of said strip when held as aforesaid and m'eans foi` intermittently feeding a stri adapted to be moved outwardly when forced by the end of said strip.

4. In a machine for driving corrugated fasteners, a frame, a head block mounted on said frame and having a passage therethrough for the end of a corrugated fastener strip, a leaf spring pivotally mounted on said block, a head stop at one end of the passage through the block and secured to said leaf spring and being free of said block, whereby the head stop may be moved outwardly relatively to the lpassage and swung on the spring pivot transversely of the passage, means for shearing off a predetermined length of the end of the corrugated fastener strip, and a hammer for driving said sheared length.

5. In a device of the character described,

a frame, a head block mounted thereon and having a passage completely therethroughf,

O fastener material into said passage, a ead stop fitting within the outer end of said passage, a leaf spring pivotally secured to said head block and engaging said head stop, whereby the latter may be forced outwardly relatively to said passage when the end of the fed-in fastener strip engages therewith, and whereby said leaf spring and said head stop may be swung aside after the head stop is removed from said fpassage, means for shearing off a length o said fastener, and a hammer for driving said sheared length.

6. As an article of manufacture, a head block for a nailing machine including a block having a assage therein for receiving the end of the astener strip, and a resilient head stop means mounted adjacent one end of said passage'for receiving the end of the fastener strip, said head stopmeans being movable in one plane outwardly from said passage and movable in another plane transversely of said passage to an out of the way position.

7. As an article of manufacture, a head block for a nailing machine including a block having a passage therein for receiving the end of a strip of fastener material, a head stop at one end of said passage and including a leaf spring pivotally secured to said head block, a handle for said head stop whereby said head stop may be drawn outwardly and swung aside on the pivot mounting of said leaf spring.

CHARLES A. MACDONALD. 

